Shoe tree



Feb. 14, 1933. 5 EDD|N5 1,897, 1 14 SHOE TREE Filed June 6, 1930Patented Feb. 14, 1933 sEXTUs A. nDDINsoE QUINCYJMLASSACLUSETTS,ASSIG1\f0R,. BY DIRECT AND .MEsNE W .AssreNMs-NTs. moors. MILLER TREEINGMACHINE COMPANY, on PORTLAND,

MAINE, A CORPORATION or MAINE Sim Titan lamination filed J'iine G,

This invention relates to shoe trees and is herein illustrated asembodied in a tree for use in restoring and maintaining the shapes ofshoes after they have been worn and during periods ofdisuse'. I p A w Te jm h ply. c ns r te s es trees are of su ch. a size that theyjcan beinserted in substantially any woinans shoe, provided with relativelysmall toe pieces and with resilient heel piecesw hich can be flexed tolit a shoe of any length. Obviously the toepieceof such a tree cannotbeexpected t y tolfit .as e and ac prin ip l y,

pusher to stretch the shoe longitudinally.

on the other hand, while shoetrees are proded each of which isconstructed and shaped accurately to a shoe of a particular size andshape, satisfactory use of such trees necessitates the carryingby theretailer of. a large -Q f t .-lld the po sessien y the user of differenttrees for each pair of differently shapedshoes with the addeddisadvantage that the trees are likely to be; come substantially uselesswhen other styles of shoes are purchased. Moreover such trees arecostly; and, unless care istaken to fit them properly to the shoesinwhich they areto he used, are not satisfactory. For these reasons,their use is not widespread e I n y orm o l t s es t 'eseren w availablein which the toepiece is construe ed of sheet pyroxylin which isnioldedto shape and most of these are so constructed that the toepiece is openatthe bottom and hasfan inturnedbottomflange; Shoe trees made in thisfashion havethe merit of lightness and flexibility and have soineinherent resiliency forcing the sides ofthe toe piece info contact withthe forepart of the shoe to fill it. t is desirable; however, tosupplement the natural resiliency of a pyroxyliii toe piece in order toforce thesidesof the tree harder against thesides oft-he shoe to insureproper treeing action. the. other hand. th re is danger that the toepiece may broken by being. expandedor contracted beyond its naturalelastic limit, 7

In view of the foregoing, the present inventionainis to provide animproved shoe tree, relatively inexpensive in construction,

ea). Sean No. 459,525.

which will be eX pansible to a plurality of sizes of. shoes but whichwill be constructed so as to protect the tree against breakage.

To this end, the invention provides an eX- Peh b re h ti Provis frigidly relative in-and-out movement of .the sides of the toe piece. .Asillustrated, the tree. is constructed of flexible material such aspyroxylin and is protected against injury,

when it is .crowded into asho e of a size smaller than that for which itis intended, by means comprising an extensible bridge. This bridge is,shown as having superposed elements which rigidly secured at their outerendsto inturned bottom flanges at the sides of the toe piece andareslotted attheir inner ends and interconnected so that inward and outwardmovements of the sides of the toe piece are positively limited.Preferthe outer ends of the bridge. With this arrangement there is nodanger .thatthe spring will distort or destroy the material of the toepiece by pressure thereagainst, and there is no opportunity for frictionbetween. the spring and the sides of the toe piece as would be the casevif it rested directly against the inner side thereof. Also it will benoted that the central portion of the illustrated spring is loopedaround a stud near the forward end of alongitudinal memberof flat springsteel. This serves. to prevent lateral displacement of said forward endand at the same time forms an anchorage for the spring so that it maynot readily be displaced in thetree.

Shoe trees are usually provided with a lone gitudinal member, sometimescalled a heel piece, which extends the length of the shoe and pressesagainstthe inside of the rear end of the shoe so as thereby to push thetoe piece into contact with the toe end of the shoe.

The illustrated embodiment of my invention it 9, bridge 14, andanexpandingspring 16. The

is rendered less expensive and more eflicient by the provision of alongitudinal member which is secured, between itsends, to a bridgeextending across the tree and has its forward end resting on an inturnedbottom flange wat the toe end otthe' tree and its rear'end positioned tobear against and be flex-ed by the arched shank portion of thelshoe'so'as' there bytoraisethe .toeiipiece firmlyinto -contact,

with the instep "of" the .shoe and. bye-firm" fricjtional engagementwith .the'bottom otthe shoe to preventrearward movement of'the tree inthe shoe. This longitudinal member," in the illustratedconstruction,'passes above the extensible bridge and is loosely rivetedthe'retoby the fastener which passes through theslotsof the two portionsfof said bridge.

The rear-end-of the illustrated longitudinal member is curled upwardlyto" form a finger 1 piece by means-of whichvthe treemayjbe in- 'sertedin" orwithdrawnlfrom the shoeand as illustrated'the end is curled overto form alloop'so as therebyf'to protectl the-shoe thereto bymeansofrivets.

against damage by said end, fAlso as illustrated; the longitudinalmember is bent downwardly tern; intermediate point to bring thecurledrear endbelow the level of the bottom of the toe'piece-[sofasthereby to increase the f force with whichthe rear end j isheld againsttheshank-portion of the shoe, or conversely, to increase 1 the force,with which the toe piece israised against; the instep portionof theshoef f Considering the invention" in c another as- P Qt, it willbeseen, that itprovides a shoe tree comprising a pyroxylin, toe. pieceand askeleton comprising the longitudinal mem i 81; the bridge members,andtl-ieexpanding spring. Thegskeleton 'may; bepre assembled and then inthe coursed manufacture of {the tree associated with the moldedpyroxylin l Fig. 3 is a view of a shoelcontaining such atree takenpartly' in longitudinal section through the'toeof theshoe'and the treeand illustrates the forceexerted .tO'li ft the toe pieoeby theupwardly'fieli lrear end of longitudinal member.- y p The illustratedshoe tree comprises a flexiblei toe, piece lOwhich is molded into shapefrom sheet material suchuasflpyro xylin, and a metallic skeletonstructure: comprising a longitudinal c center member, 12; "an extensibletoe piece 10, as illustrated, has an inturned bottom:fiange18extendingaround the i open bottomof the toe piece, this'lfla'nge being en; larged'at the sides as shown at 20 to facilitate theseculing thereto the extensiblebridge 14. This bridge 1 s made of a paiof flat metal pieces having upturned perforated ears22 at their outerends and slotted at 24' atltheir adjacent ends to receive a rivet 26passing through the longitudinal member 12 and said slots, and headedloosely to allow' i freeiinward and outward movement of the 'membersofthe bridge 14. T The'outer ends of llhS' bridge are- Y rigidly attachedto the 1 flanges .20. by rivets :28 and are in alinementwith'oneianother inithe normal or expanded condition of the tree whichis illustrated in Figs-'1 and 2; As a result, contraction of the treewill-have substantially no tendency I to displace the" longitudinalmember 12.

lengthwise of the shoe tree and hence there flangeql 8. rltwillf-belnoted that any drawing'back'of said longitudinal member which ,will'be no. dangerof disturbing the relation of the forwardend of saidmember with the might be caused by a contraction of the tree withcertain positioningof the bridge me mbers "14 would be apt topullthe'forward end. of. the member-12 over the edgeof the flanges sothatlit no longer would ;bear upon the tree'butru'pon; the bottom ottheshoe. On

the other hand, ifthere is tooim'uch forward displacement-of thelongitudinal member on cO i raction Ofthetree; the forwardend of saidmember will bear against the inner side otthe toe piece and maybincl tosuch an extent that it'will not rest upon the bottom flange oithe tree;Thenaturalresiliency of the. flexible toe piece 10 is supplemented bythe expanding spring 16(1 The central portion of this springislooped-about a'rivet 30 on the under side of and near the forward endof the-longitudinal member 12 and the arms of the spring are' 'curved'forwardly and outwardly and then rearwardly: from this rivet andprovided with outturnedQends 32 entering perforations inlthe ears 22 of the 7bridge members. This'manner of assembly gives completefreedomofmove'ment tothe spring arms; Thus the flexible toe piece may becompressed or expanded within the limits prescribedby'the slots 24 ofthe'bridge mem ber, sothat "said toe piecefwillcompletely fill thetoeend of a shoe in which the tree is" inserted. Danger of breaking thetoe piece of'the tree is minimized bythe controlling eiie'ctj of theslots 24 and. it is noted that the arrangement of the spring, positionedas: it a is out of contact with the toe piece, gives a maximum freedomof act on of sald spring,

asthere is no frictional resistance to its movements as would bejthecase-if it rubbed against the celluloidtoe piece. There is,'fur-,

it ther, no direct pressure againstthepyroxylin toe piece and -hence=notendencyfto distort the same. 2

Insertion of the toe piece in a shoe or its withdrawal therefromiisfacilitated bya loop '34: fifo'rmedbyr curlingQtherear. end of the l g una em rrrwer l i 31 p;

also avoids damage to the insole oi theshoe by providing a curvedbearing portion for the rear end of the lon itudinal member. When thetree has been inserted in a shoe, the rear end of the longitudinalmember 'is flexed upwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the toe piece islifted firmly against the instep of the shoe and at the same time theforward end of the longitudinal member rests on the inturned flange 18at the bottom of the toe piece and exerts pressure on the toe end of thesole to straighten it lengthwise and to stretch it back to the shapeimparted to it by its last. A shoe tree of this construction avoids thenecessity of the long heel piece common in most shoe trees and bearingagainst the inside of the counter portion of the heel end of the shoe,and provides a light, inexpensive shoe tree, occupying a minimum amountof space when not in use.

The longitudinal member passes above the slotted ends ofthe bridge 14 atthe point Where said member is secured to the bridge by the rivet- 26,and as a result there is less distortion of the bridge and of theflanges of the shoe tree and less interference With the tree action ofthe expanding spring 16 than as if the longitudinal member 12 Werepositioned beneath the bridge 14, when said longitudinal member is bentupwardly by contact with the shank portion 40 of the shoe $2. Thelongitudinal member 12 is given a slight downward bend at 86 tocompensate for its elevation above the bottom of the flanges 20 and toincrease the lifting tendency of said longitudinal member upon the tree.In the manufacture of such trees the metallic skeleton, comprising thelongitudinal member 12, the bridge members 14, and the spring 16, may becompletely assembled as a unit an l then attached to the inturned bottomflanges 20 of the toe piece 10 by the rivets 28, thus greatlyfacilitating the manufacture of the article. A tree of this descriptiondoes not have to be made in a large number of sizes in order to fit Wellal sizes of shoes because it is not necessary for the looped end ill or"the longitudinal member to bear upon the shoe in any exact position, andfurther because the flexibility of the toe piece and the expansibleconstruction provided by the bridge member i l and the spring 16 allowsthe toe piece to fit a large number of sizes of shoes. Consequently itis only necessary for a seller of such trees to stock them in small,medium, and large sizes, and there is less danger that a customer willsecure a size unsuited to the shoe in which itis to be employed.Furthermore, a pair of trees purchased ior shoes of a particular Widthwill still be serviceable in case the user desires to employ them forshoes or" a ditierent style which have slightly dilierent Width. Thespring 16 with its outturned ends entering the perforation in the ears22 of the bridge members, and its circular portion looped around therivet 30, prevents lateral displacement of the forward end of thelongitudinal member 12, thus holding this member in'a position Where itwill-operate as desired and Will not bindagainst the inner suriaceoi thetoe piece.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and'desir'e to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is i g 1. A shoe tree arranged tofill the forward end of a shoe comprising an expansib'le toe pieceadapted to be compressed laterally as it is inserted in a shoe, andextensible means rigidly secured to the toepiece and positionedtransversely of the toe piece constructed and arranged 'to permit and at'the same time to limit relative in-an'd-"out movement of the sides ofthe toe piece.

2. A shoe tree arranged to fill the forward end of a 'shoe comprising atoe pie'ce constructed of resilient material vvhereby it may becompressed laterally as it is inserted in a shoe, and means rigidlysecured to the toe piece constructed and arranged to permit a relativemovement of the sides of the toe piece and constructed and arrangedpositively to limit both the contraction and expansion of the side wallsof the tree.

3. A shoe tree adapted to fill the forward end of a shoe comprising aflexible toe piece open at the bottom and having inturned bottomflanges, spring means for forcing out the side Walls of the toe piece tocause it to lill the forepart of a shoe, and means engaged by the springmeans and secured to said bottom flanges constructed and arranged topermit the contraction and expansion of the side walls While limitingexpansion thereof.

l. In a shoe tree, a flexible toe piece open the bottom and havinginturned bottom flanges, a spring for expandingsaid toe piece, and meansinterconnecting said inturned bottom flanges constructed and arranged toallow a limited expansion of said toe piece under the actionot saidspring, said means being constructed and arranged also to formabutinents for the spring to prevent distortion of the toe piece.

5. In a shoe tree, a flexible toe piece having inturned bottom flanges,overlapping bridge members secured one to each of said bottom flangesand slotted at their inner ends, and a fastener interconnecting theslotted portions of said bridge members whereby both excessive inwardand outward movements of the sides of the toe piece are prevented.

6. In a shoe tree, a toe piece constructed of flexible material andprovided with inturned bottom flanges, a bridge extending across theball of the toe piece and secured to said bottom flanges, said bridgecompris ing overlapped slotted members s'lidably interconnected looselyby a fastener, the ends of said slotted members being respectivelysecured rigidly to"opposite bottom flanges, substantially in alinementwhen the toe piece is expanded, r

:7. In a; shoe tree, a flexible toe piece open ,at the bottom and havinginturned gopposite bottom flanges, and aibridge for intercon nectingsaid'bottom flanges comprising flat (metal strips riveted at their"outer ends] to a from a shoe, an extensible bridge secured to' saidopposite bottom flanges and vslotted at their inner ends, said innerends being posi-; 'tioned in overlapped relation-and connected' topermit "a limited 1 inward f and outward movement of the sidesof theflexible toe piece. 8. 1A shoe tree comprising a; flexible toe pieceopen at the bottom, a member by means of which the tree is inserted inor withdrawn thetoe piece and extendingacross the open bottom thereof,said bridge having upturned ears ataits outer ends, and a jspring forexpanding the toe piecelaterally to'cause r it to fill the forepa-rt ofthe shoe, saidspring being secured tofsaidmember and havingits endsbearing against said upturned ears.

9. A shoe *treefcomprising 'al flexible toe piece, an extensible bridgesecured to and extending. transversely of the toe piece and providedwith upturned ends, a longitudinal m'ember secured to said tree forinserting or withdrawing the tree, and apspringfforexpandlng the tree,an intermediate portion of which spring is secured tofthe forward end ofsaid longitudinal member and the end portions of'which are'flexedandbearagainst' said'upturned ends of the bridge;

1 0. 7X shoetree comprising a flexible toe piece having inturned bottomflanges, an extensible bridge connectingjs'aid flanges and providedwithupturned perforated end portions, and a longitudinal member securedto saidv bridge having a spring secured, thereto near the forward endof, the toe piece, said spring having outturned ends inserted in the by''to cxpandthe toe pieceil 1 V V 11. A shoe tree comprising a toepiecehave ing an inturned bott om'flange, abridge ex tendingtransversely 'ofsaidtoe piece, and a member extending lengthwise of saidtoe piece secured to an intermediate portion of erforated endportions'of the bridge theresaid bridge with its forward end resting onsaid inturned bottom flange at the toe end of the tree, said-memberextending rearwardlytofa position abovethe shank portion of a shoe whenthe tree isinsertedin'the shoe and having its end-curved to preventcontact of 7 said end with the shoe, r V

12.In ashoe tree, a toe piece 'ha ving an inturned bottom] flange,aflbridgev extending transversely of saidtoepiece, a memberextendingrlengthwise of said-toe piece and positioned above said bridgeand secured to. intermediate port on thereof wlth its for ward fendresting on said inturned bottom flange at thetoe endof the tree, memberextending, rearwardly far enough toflrest upon theshank portionof ashoe" when the tree is inserted in the shoe. I

13. Ina shoe tree, a flexible toe piece hav ingan inturned bottom flangeat the forward end and at the sides-of the toe piece, a bridge.membersecured tothe side portions of said flange, a longitudinal memberdisposed with its forward end resting, on the end portion of the flangeand having a fastener passing through said bridge member; and means forpreventinglateral movement of the forward endof. the longitudinalmember.

bridge comprising overlapping portlonssecured at their outer ends to thesides of said toe piece and slotted at their overlapping inner ends, theoverlapping portions'of said bridge being constructed and arranged tobeing over said bridge and having a fastener extending through saidslotted ends, said longitudinal member. being bent do wnwardly from theplane oflthebottom of the shoe tree to therear' of said-bridge.

.- l6lA shoetree' comprising a flexible toe pieced-esi'gnedsubstantiallyto fill the fore.-

, 14:Ina shoe. tree, a "flexible 1 toe piec'epa part of a shoe, meansfor limiting the contraction and expansion of the toe piece, and aresilient longitudinal member-rigidly secured to said toe pieceithroughsaidmeans" and extending rearwardly to engage ,the upwardly archedshanlr- -portion of a shoe so as to belflexed thereby and to exertslifting action on the instep portion of thetoe piece to'cause it toplumpout' the forepart of the shoe. 7

17; In asho e tree, toe piecedes'ignedsubstantially to fill the forepart;of a shoe,

and a resilient member offlat strip metal'rigidly secured atone portion,to said. toepiece and having'another portion resting ona'part of saidtoe piece to extend lengthwisethereof, the rearend of said longitudinalmember being curved to form a loop which bears,

whenthe tree is'inserted in the shoe, against theiupwardly arched shankportion of the shoe so as thereby to hold the tree against displacement.

18 In a shoe tree, a flexible toe piece de signed substantiall tofillthe forepart of a,

shoe,"a transverse bridge offlat strip metal secured tothe sides ofsaidtoe piece, an'd'a resilient 'member of flat strip metal rigidly securedto said bridge; and llitVlllgQlbS "fore; "wa-rdijend vrestingon saidtoe;piece,said;v

resilient member extending lfengthwise of the tree, the rear end of theflat resilient memher being curved to form a substantially closed looppreventing contact of the end with the shoe.

19. In a shoe tree, a flexible toe piece having an inturned bottomflange adjacent to the forward end of the toe piece and the sidesthereof, slotted bridge members secured to the side portions of saidflange, a longitudinal member of flat spring metal resting on the toeportion of the flange and passing above said slotted bridge members, anda fastener extending through said longitudinal member and the slots ofsaid bridge members, said longitudinal member extending rearwardly farenough to rest upon the shank portion of the shoe thereby to lift theinstep portion of the toe piece when the tree is inserted in a shoe.

20. I11 a shoe tree, a toe piece having an inturned bottom flange at theforward end and at the sides of the toe piece, slotted bridge memberssecured to said side portions of said flange and provided with upturnedperforated end portions, a longitudinal member passing over said bridgemembers and having a fastener extending through the slots thereof, theforward end of said longitudinal member resting on the flange at the toeend of the tree and extending rearwardly far enough to rest upon theshank portion of a shoe in which the tree is inserted, and a springsecured at an intermediate portion thereof to the forward part of saidlongitudinal member, the flexed outer ends of said spring beingoutturned to enter the perfora tions of said upturned portions of thebridge members whereby said toe piece is expanded by said spring andlateral flexings of the sides of the toe piece are limited both inwardlyand outwardly by the engagement of said fastener member with the slotsof said bridge members.

21. In a shoe tree, a toe piece having an inturned bottom flange, abridge secured to said toe piece, and a longitudinal member secured tosaid bridge with its forward end resting on said inturned bottom flange,said longitudinal member being bent downwardly from the plane of thebottom of the shoe tree at a point between said bridge member and itsrear end and having its rear end curled to form a loop.

22. In a shoe tree, a toe piece designed substantially to fill theforepart of a shoe, a bridge between the sides of said toe piece, and aresilient longitudinal member secured to said bridge and arranged tobear downwardly against the forward end of the toe piece, saidlongitudinal member being curved to form a loop at its rear end, whichloop in use rests upon the shank portion of the shoe and serves as afinger piece to facilitate the insertion and withdrawal of the tree.

23 In a shoe tree, a toe piece designed substantially to fill the toeend of a shoe, a bridge between the sides of said toe piece, a resilientlongitudinal member secured to said bridge and arranged to beardownwardly against the forward end of the toe piece, said longitudinalmember being curved downwardly for contact with the bottom of the shoeat the shank portion and having an end portion which is curved to form aloop, said loop serving as a finger piece to facilitate the insertionand withdrawal of the tree.

24. In a shoe tree, a flexible toe piece, and a metallic skeletonstructure for said toe piece comprising an extensible bridge, alongitudinal member, an intermediate portion of which is secured to andsupports said bridge, and an expanding spring the central portion ofwhich is secured to said longitudinal member and the diverging ends ofwhich are secured to the ends of said bridge.

25. A metallic skeleton structure adapted to be incorporated in a shoetree having a flexible toe piece with inturned side and toe flanges,said skeleton structure comprising a transverse bridge of flat stripmaterial the ends of which are adapted to be secured to the side flangesof the toe piece, and a longitudinal member secured to said bridgebetween its ends and extending substantial distances to the front and tothe rear of the bridge, thereby adapting said member to rest at one endon the toe flange of the toe piece and at the other end on the shankportion of a shoe in which the tree is used.

26. A metallic skeleton structure adapted to be incorporated in andsecured to a shoe tree having a flexible toe piece, said skeletonstructure comprising an expansible bridge, a longitudinal member anintermediate portion of which is secured to said bridge. and anexpanding spring an intermediate portion of which is secured to saidlongitudinal member and the diverging ends of which are secured to saidbridge.

27. A shoe tree having a flexible toe piece open at the bottom andprovided at the bottom with inturned side and toe flanges, a loop springhaving its ends connected to said side flanges to expand the toe piece,an expansible bridge of flat strips connecting said side flanges, and alongitudinal member secured to an intermediate part of said bridgehaving its forward end overlying said toe flange and extendingrearwardly to a position above the shank portion of a shoe when the treeis inserted in the shoe.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

SEXTUS A. EDDINS.

